Esther Walker was a popular musicomedy star in the 1920s. Born Esther Thomas in Louisville, Kentucky on
October 18, 1894, she had three sisters and four brothers.

As she began her stage career, Esther Thomas adopted the stage name of Esther Walker.
In 1919 Esther appeared on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre in the production of
"Monte Cristo, Jr.". And later in the same year she could be found at the 44th Street Theatre
in the short-lived production of
"Hello, Alexander" with songs by composer Jean Schwartz.

Esther Walker’s short recording career ran from 1919-1920 and 1925-1927 producing some 32 sides on
Victor and Brunswick. The height of her recording success was probably in 1926 when she recorded the Brunswick sides
"Ya Gotta Know How To Love" and "As Long As I Have You And You Have Me".

Esther Thomas married famous Texan movie theater owner Karl Hoblitzelle. Mr. Hoblitzelle, born in Missouri,
was an event manager at the St. Louis World’s Fair. He later moved to Dallas and started a successful chain
of vaudeville houses and movie theaters.

In 1942 Karl and Esther chartered a philanthropic foundation - the "Hoblitzelle
Foundation" which provided funds to schools, hospitals, agriculture, and other interests. The foundation
still thrives today.

Esther Walker Thomas Hoblitzelle died of cancer in Dallas on July 26, 1943 at the age of 48. The bulk of
her estate went to the foundation.

This web site is free to anyone who wants to view it from the internet. As you may know it is very time-consuming and somewhat costly to put one of these biographies together. To keep the preservation of the Jazz Age’s popular music and research that you see here going, please consider a donation. All donations will go toward the funding of this research which includes travel expenses, materials, research fees, etc. Thank you for your support in preserving a piece of the World’s musical heritage.